Chapter 2:

-Stranger-

Nine years now, as Michael saw his son and his sister the last time and it is years ago, since he had changed no more for a single time. Alone he hiked through cities and through the lands. Nothing was left remaining for him, only small things he carried with him. The book of Lucian's history and the history of the myths of Alexander Corvinus and all which was still remaining from Selene for him was the medallion which he wore around his neck carried. It was the same also Sonja has carried. A bronzy Celtic cross and in the middle a small round emerald. Michael lived nowhere and however everywhere, he didn't settle down. What did he want under the people? His way led him into the cold north, where the wilderness prevailed. Canada. Maybe it was one year if he lingered in Toronto. But he left the city so fast he could. It was to risky, to live in a city, for a creature like him, it was not said that he didn't change no more for years, that he had not killed any more people. Unfortunately, the reality was far worse than the eye sees. He is and remains a killer, no matter how his outer appearance looked like. It was necessary to kill to avoid a chaos. Three or four sacrifice, he looked for himself on the streets in one week. No mothers, no fathers or children, no, he redeemed suffering souls of miseries. His sacrifices were homeless people that didn't have any future anyway and also sick people on the streets, but never, he had dared to change somebody again. Everywhere where he went, it swarmed with creatures of the night. he tried to avoid these as good as possible and if he was spoken to, he twisted the heads for them and they disintegrated to dust or were cadavers for the crows. He wanted to be left alone. Michael hiked days and nights, through winds and rain without to rest properly, maybe an hour every day, no more, no less.He studied this book and wanted to know everything. Possibly these were only stories and lies, just as Kraven's victory over Lucian. But Michael could connect the texts with his passed on memories, so that he had a possible truth before himself.For a long time, Michael was on the way along the Rocky Mountains. He stayed in forests and tried to mind the civilization, to do them a favour and also him as well. The weather here was so changeable, one never knew when the next snow fell. Michael wore, so that he didn't attract too much attention, normal blue jeans, a black long-shirt, a black thermo gillet over it and a fed brown jacket with a hood bordered with fur, which he always had on more or less.The book, he had stowed in a black backpack. Now and then, he had no other choice as to go along a main street for a few miles, cause left and right were bigger obstacles, as mountainsides or canyons, that hindered his locomotion.Quite often cars or trucks stopped by passing and offered Michael a lift. If he felt well or how one should call otherwise his crises situations, he accepted the offer. The region always became wilder, everywhere forests, fast river-streams and canyons, the villages and cities moved away more and more. He slowly started to like this place. The Yukon region was beautiful... and cold.Michael sought a cave in this forests and made a camp, sought firewood and made a fire. Outdoors, it rained like in streams. He tried to make somewhat comfortably in a niche on the cold, rocky one ground. He got this book another time forth and read. No notion how often he already had read this book, although he wished to learn more particular about Alexander.In this old dusty book only are reminds and hints, nothing exact, nothing new he already had heard. Damn it. Why did Markus know nothing about him? If he knew something, then, Michael also would have to know it, but there exist no memories. Why? One question sneaked already of the longer through his head was: if Alexander was the first hybrid, he has to be still alive or he or somebody had found a way to kill him? But what would be if Alexander never was bitten by both species, and that this hybrid never had existed? But how could they know that he was capable to unify both species? One question, placed another question. For first time for a long time he tried to find a little sleep. He rolled back and forth until he had found a comfortable position for itself and fell asleep slowly. How usually if he got some sleep, it was uncomfortable and restless.His sleep was one single nightmare but from the time of to the time he had to rest as well, even if it was once in the month, the sufficed him.

Moves. Darkness. Lightning. Ruins everywhere. He never had seen this memory before. From where did it come? All lay in silence, rain fell on the cold stone and mingled with causes dust on the ground. This memory seemed to be older than all other. The disintegrated buildings had a simple style, bigger stones became put and simple cemented with clay one on top of the other. Unfortunately, all was destroyed. However there, a half disintegrated building was, that was guarded seemingly until on the last man. A gothic church and the single one be leave safely for something at this building, two dark angels were at the entrance. One of the two held a child in direction to the heaven, the other seemed to scream. The vision led Michael through the ruin and held in a big area, what probably was preaches reverberates. However, the benches were burned down, the altar stood part in the most rearmost still there. As he brought closer to it, he saw that this altar was in reality a stone rectangular coffin. The cover was decorated with Celtic art and stood an especially showy C in the middle. A Celtic eagle clang with his talons solidly with extended wings at the outer curve of the C. however, this coffin didn't seem been left behind unopened to royal origin and it was hardly to be damaged. Suddenly, the cover jumped up nothing like from him, causes dust whirled up and a skeleton, what rather resembled a mummy appeared.

Michael awakened wet with perspiration and got air deeply. It was already morning and some sunbeams shone into the cave. His fire had gone out and only ashes had remained. He had lain down again to make some thoughts for itself. This location in his dream, he had never seen it. With certainty, it wasn't in Hungary or Romania. Suddenly, he heard a rustle, from branches and foliage outside this cave. He tried to hide in the gloomily and to remain quiet. Then, a dark shape with a cowboy hat stood in the cave entrance with a shotgun directed at him. Michael gnashed his teeth, however, he sensed no big danger.

"Come out there who ever you are. Hands up!" ordered he. First, Michael refused, and then however, the voice became louder and more threatening. "Don't force me to shoot you! Come out with raised hands!"

Michael pulled the hood again for himself over the head. He packed his book again into his backpack and beat him over his right shoulder. He got up and approached the armed man. It was a splendid day. The sun shone, the birds chirped and one could hear the river nearby. Michael rubbed his eyes when he went out into the daylight. He got his black sunglasses from the left breast pocket and positioned them, then, he looked at the stranger.

"I am deputy Ivanhoe. You have disowned against nature conservation-regulate of this country."

"I didn't know this, sir. I travel through and didn't find any shelter."

"You wouldn't either, definitely not in this remote wilderness. The nearest village is miles away." he lowered the weapon and smiled. "You're probably the first time here, aren't you? Anyway, I must ask you to come with me, sir. You have the choice: you can sit behind me on the horse or you can walk, but I warn you, it is ten miles as far as to the next Indian-Reservation where the sheriff will pass judgment on you."

"Then, I will walk." Michael said calm

"As you want. Follow me."

The Native American climbed on his powerful brown white spotted horse. He put his gun in the weapon holder at the saddle. He seized the rein and gave his horse an easy kick into the flanks. Michael went left. The deputy seemed to be a more kindly young man. He carried his long black hair in a braid. He was a slim strong man and he had the natural brown eyes. He seemed to be a pure Native American. However, his clothing style was in the modern time: blue jeans, a fleecy knitted brownish sweater, a long brown leather coat and a same colour cowboy hat and a pair black leather boots.

"What does you drive into the north? Where do you come from?" his looks still concentrated on the way.

"As I said, I travel through. I come from Detroit."

"Far away from home, what? How is your name sir?"

"Michael Corvin." he said nothing on the first question. Home? Detroit? He wanted to keep it no more in mind. "You can call me Michael, sir."

"Nice to meet you, Michael. You can call me simply Ivanhoe. My father is the sheriff and I work for him. How long are you already on the way?"

"Nine long years."

"Nine years? Did you commit a crime? Do you not have any family?"

"I have a son, but he doesn't know that I exist. If you think that I robbed somebody and I am fleeing, then, you lay incorrectly. I only need time for myself. My loved one she... she died in his birth."

"Ah, understand. I'm sorry that I have asked. These days one must simply take care from foreign if you understand me. We had in the last time often problems. We had drug dealers and illegal weapon dealers however also lunatics which tried to destroy the forests and animals. You were lucky that the grizzly bear didn't come home." he grinned and saw to Michael briefly.

"Probably, my company was uncomfortable for him." Michael quipped flat. The Native American wrinkled the forehead and looked somewhat implausibly at him, and then however, he laughed.

"You have a strange humour, my friend. You must watch out particular for wild animals that is not to be trifled in this area. The wolves are like a pest, no idea how this could happen, anyway we try them to reduce by hunting them and unfortunately having to kill. However, Grizzlies are rather rare, but not threatened become extinct yet, not here."

"How far is it still, I mean to your village?"

"No more long. We will arrive before sunset."

"I could help you with the wolf problem."

"Thank you for the offer, but you doesn't look exactly like a hunter. Are you familiar with weapons?"

"No, but I learn fast." he lied.

"We will see, after we talked with my dad over your offence.

"Many thanks. If it is possible, could I settle down in your village for a while? I will also pay or will work for it."

"We will see. You seem to be nice. I still have one question at you, boy. Is this backpack all what you carry with you, all through these nine years? How did you feed yourself, I mean there are rarely shops on the way?"

"I know how to feed myself."

"One survivor artist, eh?"

"So one could say."